Father's Day row over council's 'superheroes' foster parents campaign

A MIDLAND council was last night at the centre of a Father’s Day row – over comic book superheroes.

A MIDLAND council was last night at the centre of a Father’s Day row – over comic book superheroes.

Council chiefs in Dudley have launched a campaign to recruit more foster parents, with the slogan “Foster parents are superheroes in disguise.”

But the theme has been criticised because it mimics the strategy of the militant group Fathers 4 Justice (F4J).

The recruitment drive shows foster parents in superhero costumes carrying out domestic tasks with foster children, including cooking and shopping.

The campaign is highlighted on life-size posters across the borough and on the council’s official website.

But the superhero gimmick closely mirrors the hallmarks of F4J which has staged controversial high-profile demonstrations to campaign for more rights for divorced and separated fathers.

F4J’s direct action tactics have caused outrage with publicity stunts including activists invading the debating chamber of the House of Commons, scaling the walls of Buckingham Palace and climbing Tower Bridge in London, causing traffic chaos.

Symbolic

Protesters dressed up in costumes such as Superman and Batman because F4J claims all dads – even absent ones – are superheroes to their children.

In 2006, it was claimed that a plot had been hatched to kidnap Leo Blair, the son of the then Prime Minister Tony Blair, ‘for a few hours as a symbolic gesture’.

At the time, police said they were aware of the plan but added it had never progressed ‘beyond the chattering stage’.

Many F4J protesters have been arrested and a number jailed.

Councillor Mike Attwood, a Conservative member of Dudley Council’s Children’s Service Scrutiny Committee, described the aping of the F4J as ‘unfortunate’.

He said: “I wonder if the people responsible for foster parents recruitment drive were aware of the similarities with Fathers 4 Justice.

“I am sure the apparent link was unintended but I would hope that consideration will be given to possible misinterpretations in any future recruitment campaigns.”

F4J was set up in 2000 to champion the cause of equal parenting, family law reform and equal contact for divorced parents with children.

The row comes as the government announced proposals to shake up family courts to allow more contact for absent fathers through a right to ‘shared parenting’.

F4J founder Matt O’Connor said: “Imitation is said to be the sincerest form of flattery – so we should be pleased with Dudley Council’s foster parents’ campaign.

“But it will cause confusion. An error of judgment has been made. I don’t regret our high-profile protests. It has been the biggest civil disobedience campaign of modern times.”

Last night, Councillor Tim Crumpton, Dudley Council’s Cabinet member for children’s services, said: “Anybody who attempts to attack a council fostering campaign aimed at getting our children the best possible futures should be ashamed of themselves.

“For this reason, the council – as well as the British Association for Adoption and Fostering and the Fostering Network – has run superhero-themed awareness campaigns and events to recognise their importance and encourage more people to become carers.

“There are currently 285 approved Dudley Council foster carers but there is an on-going national requirement to recruit more with the Fostering Network showing a national shortage of 7,100 carers.”